My approach to the Romancero, the Pan-Hispanic ballad tradition, crosses the boundary between medieval Iberia and modern Latin America and bridges the gap between national, chronological, and geographic divisions. The reasons for the Romanceros continued existence become readily apparent when it is examined in relation to the individuals who have preserved and molded its very character. In this way, we can better see the vital role that individual singers--particularly women--have played in the continuity of the tradition. As oral texts, many of the romances celebrate the power of female...